Diary of an Almost-Vegan

By: Carlos Aquino

Posted: 4/28/08

I never was too concerned about what I ate. I was raised on meat and milk just like most kids and was always thrilled when we could go "out to eat" at McDonald's. When I made it to college every guy in my dorm passed around the Men's Health magazine, eager to know the new tricks to getting "ripped abs" or shoulders that were "absolutely jacked." Some of the articles that got in the way of new training techniques were general food recipes and health tips. I read them and was surprised by how many things in our diet hindered the Adonis-like body we all wanted. High-fructose corn syrup, trans fats-these were the first things I eliminated from my diet. Awareness is always the first step to change, yet I could not perceive that there would be so many steps to follow.

This past spring break, I found myself in the woods with forty other individuals all participating in Americorps, doing training and team building exercises. It rained the first three days and I passed the time with a coworker and an altered state of mind. This co-worker managed to bring in his iPod and speakers with which I was introduced to new music. Blackstar was one example, a rap group that was vegan. I listened and was quite swayed by their lyrics about eating healthily. We cooked vegan dishes that were surprisingly delicious (not the raw vegetables and grains I imagined) and the relaxed atmosphere of the resident vegans was so peaceful I was eager to join this new lifestyle. No longer would I eat the flesh of animals that had suffered in squalid conditions, no longer would I poison my body with vitamin-infused dairy or ingest any other artificial food products. Things were looking good and I was feeling good, too.

After saying goodbye to pizza and sushi I made the complete switch. I was surprised how easy the change was. When meats or dairy was offered I found that I was oddly repulsed, even after such a short time. I read up on recent works and found that many had forged the path for me: instead of dairy, I can guzzle vanilla soymilk; in place of fish I could consume my omega-3's by eating crushed flax seed; I could snack on fresh fruit instead of beef jerky. It was like voting-maybe one person cannot change much but I was one more vegan lowering the demand for the neatly packaged meat at your grocery store.

I imagined that I would be a part of transforming our economy. Slowly we would phase out corn-fed livestock. I recalled a study in which an acre of land could produce more calories in the form of soybeans than the calories gained from fattening up a cow and slaughtering it for a couple burgers. The fact that I would have to pay a couple dollars more for my organic products was a small sacrifice I would make to help my country in the long run. I figured all of those farmers in the corn-belt would adapt; when they saw demand go down, they would start growing organic products and the American diet would change completely for the better.

But my mind was totally changed, and many other factors started occurring to me. The initial changes to the economy of a mass switch to veganism would be extremely demanding on our environment. I learned that to import the produce we enjoy all year long costs a great deal in terms of environmental damage.

I was also startled to learn the plight of our migrant workers working in American produce fields. Their conditions are abysmal, and my vegetable-heavy diet certainly wouldn't change that. I realized that the uneducated vegan was merely substituting animal suffering for human suffering. How could I be so callous?

I thought of friends in the culinary arts. I thought of rich histories and cultures that revolved around the consumption of meat. I came to the conclusion that veganism would be too demanding. Without all of the hormones we utilize to increase the output of our food, we could not feed the burgeoning human population. Will we sacrifice ourselves for the world? The answer is obviously no. I had to decide if I would remain a vegan, which begged the question- what made me change my lifestyle in the first place? Changing the environment, bettering my health, and preventing cruelty to animals were all factors, but I think it's extremely difficult for one person to accomplish all three.

I put environmental reasons above the others-without it, we couldn't sustain animals, much less worry about their treatment. My health is secondary, and I have survived thus far as an omnivore. Nothing disturbs me more than seeing food go to waste; instead of passing on a cheese or meat dish at a holiday or a restaurant only to watch it be disposed of later, I'd rather consume the calories and save my vegan foods for later.

I'm not sure how to market an environmentally-friendly diet, but I think that as so long as we are willing to compromise on what we eat, we can make steps to ensuring that our environment doesn't collapse on us or future generations. So even if you aren't interested in veganism, consider picking up the free-range eggs or the organic beef next time you shop for groceries. I'll help you eat it if you buy too much.